Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Embesie 1086 DB

• Embesay(a), Embesai, Embesey(a) 1131–40 YChvii c.1140 Dugdvi Hy2 Ch 1305 BM c.1155 YChvii 1156 BM 1305

• Embeshey 1304 Ebor

• Ameseia 12 Font

• Emnesey 1257 Ch

• Emmesey(e), Emmesay(e) 1120 Dugdvi 1120–35 YChvii 1285 KI 1363 Baild

• Emmeshay 1279–81 QW

• Emesai, Emeseia, Emesay 1131–40,1152–5 YChvii 1202 FF 1305 Ch

• Embsay(e), Embsey 1305 Ch 1591 FF

• Embsey in Craven 1615 WYD

• Emsey 1540 Dugdvi 1593 WillY

• Empsay 1690 PRBl

Etymology

The second el. cannot on topographical grounds be OE  ēg 'island, land by water', but it could be, judging by the two spellings with -hey and -hay , OE  (ge)hæg 'enclosure' or possibly the OE  hēah 'lofty place' suggested for Wibsey iii, 10 and other p.ns. supra which offer similar topographical problems. 'Embe's enclosure or hill', from the OE  pers.n. Embe . On the loss of -b - cf. Jordan § 211.